St. Augustine sign structures will have to be removed

The remains of the sign of the former Checkers Restaurant at the corner of U.S. 1 and State Road 207 on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014.

First Coast area business news

Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner

An ordinance passed by the St. Augustine City Commission requires vacant on-site commercial signs and sign structures to be removed from property, or the property owners could face a fine.

“If you have an old sign structure, you have six months to either make use of it or eliminate it,” Planning and Building Department Director Mark Knight said.

There were about 20 or 30 vacant sign structures in St. Augustine at the beginning of the year.

One example of a vacant sign structure is outside of the former Checkers restaurant at the intersection of U.S. 1 and State Road 207.

The ordinance, 2014-01, prohibits vacant on-site commercial signs and sign structures, and requires the property owner to remove all on-site signs within 15 days of commercial vacancy and remove all on-site sign structures within six months of vacancy.

The ordinance also requires the property owner to “repair and restore any finish or facade left exposed” after the sign or sign structure is removed.

An extension could be granted by the Planning and Zoning Board for up to two years, depending on certain qualifications.

The ordinance passed on first reading in February and its second reading on Monday, and will go into effect next week, Knight said.

Knight said previously that city code requires a businesses sign to be taken down once the business closes but did not require the sign structure to be removed, according to a previous story.

He said that as old sign structures accumulate they become more noticeable and take away from the city’s “ambiance.”

The former Checkers building and its sign structure may be demolished, according to an email from Amir Moghaddam, senior vice president of leasing and property management for Hakimian Holdings, which owns the property.

He wrote that Hakimian Holdings has applied for demolition permits with the City of St. Augustine for that building and “all the related fixtures.”

Darrel Galles, owner of Signs by Darrel Galles, said he specializes more in small signs and has been in the sign business locally for more than 30 years.

“There is really a safety factor,” he said.

He said he has replaced signs that were dangerously close to falling off, including one on St. George Street.

A sign pole also could be rusting away on the inside and might not be noticeable from the outside.

Knight said if property owners do not take their sign structures down within six months, and do not get an extension, they could face daily fines of up to $250.

§ Mark Knight said that as old sign structures accumulate they become more noticeable and take away from the city’s “ambiance.”
-
Hey mister Knight! Abandoned commercial properties ARE Saint Augustine's "ambience."

Reality really annoys these officials that don't mind making other people do stuff.